The present invention relates to magnets arranged in sets and aligned for encapsulation into magnetic therapy devices.
Magnetic therapy practice has caused the development of products with permanent magnets distributed on the products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,219 teaches a sleeping mattress structure provided with permanent magnets each having a magnetic field strength of at least 850 gauss which are disposed on the mattress for maximum magnetic curing effect. U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,560 teaches a method for fixing the permanent magnets to bed covering. Merchandise worn by humans having magnetic structure has also been developed. For example, Japan Life Products 1992 Catalog, at page 10 and 11, show belts, elbow and knee supporters, wrist and foot support massager provided with magnetic structure. Similarly, present day magnetic therapy merchandise includes head bands, vests, belts, wrist bands, supports for the elbows, arms, legs, knee and ankle, and also necklaces.
The apparent premise for the merchandise provided with the magnetic structure is to place a permanent magnet such that body cells are exposed to a low-level magnetic field emitted from the permanent magnets. The magnetic exposure is believed to assist stressed cells in restoring their correct balance of electrical charge for performing more efficiently, see undated article by Japan Life Products, entitled: "Spreading Good Sleep Around the World". The magnetic exposure when concentrated at the same specific points on the body known to acupuncture and accupressure practitioners is a developing therapeutic practice.
An especially effective form of an arrangement of magnets for application to directly on the human skin, or within one to two layers of natural or synthetic material or sheet polymer, has been shown to be a set of magnets of about the same cross sectional area is several permanent magnets are required to produce the maximum magnetic exposure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,956 it is disclosed that opposite magnetic poles have unique therapeutic effects on body tissues. That patent discloses that flux from a north pole of a magnet if applied in effective levels in the order of at least 200 gauss per square inch has a sedator effect, reduces pain, mobilizes calcium, relieves muscle spasms, increases joint mobility and lowers the pH of the affected tissues. By contrast, flux from a south pole of a magnet stimulates circulation, speeds healing time, strengthens tissues, and raises the pH to a weak alkaline condition characterizing healthy tissue. It is further disclosed that the north pole flux may reduce the electrogalvanic potential across the nerve sheaths in the affected tissue to a value substantially below that recognized by the brain as a pain signal; and that the south pole flux, if applied subsequently, does not raise the potential to a value which the brain would recognize as a pain signal, thus it can effect healing while enabling normal exercise without pain.
A prior art arrangement of magnets is known to engage the cooperative magnetic strength of side by side magnets and to at the same time provide enhanced equal and opposite polar magnetic effects. FIGS. 1-3 are exemplary of these arrangements, referred to herein as a magnetic unit.